SWS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGS FROM THE 2021 VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF WETLAND SCIENTISTS Wetland Sciences 2021: Adaptation Drives Innovation
JUNE 1-10, 2021
Note: This year's conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biology & Ecology Presented during CS1: Vegetation I, 6/3/2021 4:35PM - 6:25PM ET
Presented during CS1: Vegetation I
DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR MONITORING COASTAL WETLANDS WITH HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY IN 4D
EFFECTS OF IRIS PSEUDACORUS ON ABIOTIC CONDITIONS, PLANT AND INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES IN A SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ESTUARIES
Bourgeau-Chavez, Laura, Michigan Tech Research Institute A binational team is working on developing a framework for monitoring coastal wetlands of the Great Lakes in 4D using high resolution Digital Globe optical and Radarsat-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery. Five institutions are working together to acquire the data, develop automated algorithms, process the big data and serve up products. Acquisitions of Radarsat-2 occur every 24 days (May-Oct) and WorldView2 as frequently as cloud cover permits. Product development began with a focus on four study sites in 2016 with expansion to 12 sites in 2017-21. Semi-automated algorithms developed for Radarsat-2 allow monitoring changes in surface water extent and flooded vegetation for each of the study sites. SAR and WorldView2 imagery are used alone as well as in combination to produce wetland classifications including detecting invasive species. Dynamic digital surface models are produced from stereo WorldView2 data. Finally, water level changes are assessed through interferometric SAR. The goal is to develop radar and optical remote sensing semi-automated analysis methods to routinely monitor the dynamic nature of Great Lakes coastal wetlands to help wetland managers and decision makers assess wildlife habitat conditions, restoration activities and wetland health. Currently, the team is assessing the products for: 1) helping streamline the traditionally arduous process of updating of the National Wetland Inventory; 2) evaluating the breeding habitat of a threatened shorebird; and 3) to aid in monitoring wetland gain and loss while accounting for the naturally fluctuating lake levels. Small changes in hydrology can lead to large changes in surface water extent causing wetlands to change type or even disappear (at the wetland/ upland interface and shoreline). Monitoring coastal wetlands is necessary because their health is inextricably tied to the health of the Great Lakes and wetlands are particularly vulnerable to climatic and anthropogenic change. n
Arenas, Anita, California State University of Long Beach Whitcraft, Christine Wetlands are important ecosystems that provide habitat and human services such as filtering water, providing buffers during storms, and reducing erosion. Despite this recognized importance, about 90% of wetlands have been lost in California. Of the remaining wetlands, many are degraded by human activities, including the spread of invasive species. Iris pseudacorus is one such non-native species that has been introduced across a geographical range. Los Peñasquitos Lagoon (LPL), in north County San Diego, and the Delta in northern California are areas that have been invaded with Iris pseudacorus across a range of salinities in both of these estuaries. The objective of our study was to describe how Iris pseudacorus impacts abiotic conditions, plant community and macrofaunal invertebrate community across this salinity gradient using a paired design comparing iris to non-iris areas. Preliminary data show no significant differences in pore water salinity, sediment properties, or benthic invertebrate communities between iris and non-iris canopies within sites, at both LPL and the Delta. Aerial insect communities, sampled via sticky traps in LPL, showed higher abundance in iris plots compared to non-iris at the marine sites as well as altered community composition between plant types at all sites. This potentially indicates that the largest impacts of Iris pseudacorus are on the aerial insects due its showy flowers, not the benthic community. Not only will this study help gain more knowledge on how this invasive species affects invertebrate and plant communities, but will inform management strategies regarding how to control or remove this species. n
Wetland Science & Practice July 2021 157
